About Karlstad

Large selection of restaurants

The range of restaurants in Karlstad is large. Several of them have received awards in the White Guide and are well worth a visit. Olssons Bazar run by the brothers Mattias and Andreas Olsson. The restaurant is located in the Inner Harbor and serves mainly char-grilled meat. Here you will also find Neapolitan pizzas with exciting fillings. In summer you can enjoy the evening sun on the large outdoor terrace.  

Coffee aroma and nice cafes

Cafés can be found in almost every corner of Karlstad and they have also received awards in the White Guide. You can often feel the coffee aroma from Löfberg's coffee factory spread across the city. But Löfbergs not only has its factory in the Inner Harbor, but also operates Löfbergs Rosteri och Kaffebar. Here is everything for the coffee lover and in the range you will find freshly roasted specialty coffee from all corners of the world. You will not find some mixtures and roasts anywhere else. 

At Carli Choklad, a stone's throw from the train station, there are many different goodies. In the range you will find home-made products such as chocolate pralines, bread, pastries and Italian ice cream. 

Artisan Bread is a modern craft bakery that offers bread, pastry and coffee in a beautiful environment. Artisan's baker was also named Baker of the Year in Sweden 2018. 

Located on Östra Torggatan Swenströmskas Stenungsbageri. Sourdough bread, buns and pastries are some of the goodies you will find in the counter and through the large window you can see straight into the bakery where magic is created. 

Activities for young and old

For the kids, there are fun activities to do all year round. In Karlstads stadspark Mariebergsskogen you will find the animals in Lillskogen, Naturum Värmland with its exhibitions and café, the tour train Conrad Höök, Lekträdgården and much more. The park is open all year round and has free admission.

Vildaparken in Väse is located between Karlstad and Kristinehamn and is a large park for children with running legs and speed under the wheels. There is a skate park, downhill track for bicycles, low-altitude track and barbecue area - with the forest as the nearest neighbor. 

Sundstabadet (Sundsta bathhouse) is the place where you exercise, play or enjoy. There are pools for those who are eager to practice swimming, an adventure pool for those who are eager to play and a relaxation area for those who are eager to enjoy.

Culture and history

There is a lot of culture in Karlstad. Sandgrund Lars Lerin is the art gallery where the artist Lars Lerin exhibits his works of art. Lerin is one of the Nordic region's foremost watercolor lists and known from several different television programs. In addition to viewing the magical paintings by Lerin, there are guest exhibitors who are regularly replaced. 

Wermland Opera is one of six opera houses in Sweden and is the small opera that offers great experiences. Here you can see world-class operas, concerts and musicals. The main stage is located in the beautiful Karlstad Theater, which was built in 1893. Here, everything from Nibelungen's ring, Johannespassionen and Les Misérables to Shrek the musical has entertained the people of Karlstad and the visitors. Every year, new major productions are staged on Wermland Opera's stage.

At Brigadmuseum it is told about Sweden and the outside world during the years that many associate with the days of the Cold War. Typical folk home environments, world political events and military history in an exciting exhibition with unique material. Brigade Museum is a military experience museum for everyone. 

Alsters herrgård, Gustaf Frödings minnesgård, är en 1700-talsherrgård i vacker naturmiljö med utsikt över Vänern. Herrgården består av ett flertal byggnader med tillhörande herrgårdspark och nära anslutning till vandringsleder. Här finns också ett herrgårdscafé, galleri, herrgårdsbutik, hantverksbutik och utställningar om Gustaf Fröding och herrgården. 

Värmlands Museum is one of Sweden's most visited county museums with over 200,000 visitors per year. Here, Värmland's cultural history coincides with international successful exhibitions in art and photography. Every year, several different art and photo exhibitions of the highest international class are shown here. You can come here to be inspired and gain knowledge, but also experience art for the sake of art itself.

Nature, sports and leisure

With nature around the corner, there are good opportunities to experience a rich outdoor life. There are several areas that offer a variety of activities. You are always close to the water as Karlstad is located on the Klarälv delta and has Lake Vänern as a neighbor. During the summer months of June-August you can take a boat bus around Karlstad. It is an excellent way to see Karlstad from the water or to get out a bit on Lake Vänern. 

Karlstad is also the start for Klarälvsbanan. The 90 km long paved railway embankment is guaranteed car-free and gives you a wonderful nature experience. Here you can cycle all the way to Uddeholm or continue on the Klarälvsleden all the way up to Sysslebäck.  

If you are interested in mountain biking or hiking, the I2 forest and Skutberget are great areas for outdoor life. I2 forest can be easily reached from central Karlstad and here are several places with rest areas in the form of log tables, benches, fireplaces and in some places even windbreaks. Skutberget is beautifully situated with Lake Vänern right at the junction. There is an 8.5 km long mountain bike trail but also exercise tracks in various lengths. Here you can also swim by the cliffs and in the winter there are ski trails if the amount of snow is sufficient.

Karlstad is one of Sweden's foremost sports cities and the municipality was named Sweden's premier sports municipality by the magazine Sport & Affärer in 2016 and 2018. Here you can also watch high-class trotting competitions at Färjestadstravet, see Färjestad BK chase new Swedish Championship gold in ice hockey or follow Carlstad Crusader's path towards more titles in American football.

Trade, business and education

In Karlstad, there are several shopping areas. Bergvik is a large shopping center located just outside the center in the direction of Oslo. There are several well-known stores here and here you will also find IKEA. Välsvikens handelsområde lying in the opposite direction, in the direction of Stockholm. The area grows every year and offers several large stores. In the center of Karlstad, large and small shops are mixed with several malls. The selection is large and varied and here you can find most of what you are looking for.

Karlstad is one of Sweden's most successful trading places. And some of Scandinavia's and Europe's foremost clusters are in our region. For example, the business world is a world leader in paper, pulp and packaging. There are about 9,000 companies in Karlstad municipality and some of the largest employers are Karlstad Municipality, Karlstad University, Värmland County Council, Konsum Värmland, the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, Valmet and the Swedish Consumer Agency.

Here is also Karlstad University, which is a young and modern university. Here, all students are encouraged to think freely, new and big. With a growing and innovative university, Karlstad is ranked as one of the country's best student cities. 

Accommodation and camping in Karlstad

I Karlstad finns det många olika alternativ för övernattning. De flesta av Karlstads 14 hotell ligger på bekvämt promenadavstånd från centrum. Här kan du bo på ett gammalt fängelse eller i ett hotell med anor från 1870-talet eller kanske i ett rum med utsikt över Klarälven. Det finns också flera vandrarhem och bed & breakfasts att välja på. Två campingar strax utanför centrum erbjuder platser för både tält, husvagnar och husbilar. Vill du hellre bo i en stuga finns flera olika varianter med olika standard. I Karlstad finns det något för alla!